Spicy Mussel and Tomato Spaghetti

Scrub the mussels well under cold running water, removing any beards. Discard any that are cracked or that don't close when tapped.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant but not brown.

Add the cleaned mussels, cover the pan with a lid, and steam for 3-4 minutes until the shells open. Give the pan a good shake halfway through.

Remove the mussels from the heat. Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve it — this is your mussel broth. Pull half the mussels from their shells and leave half in shells for presentation.

In the same pan, heat a splash more olive oil if needed. Pour in the tomato sauce and add the reserved mussel broth. Stir to combine.

Season with cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Let the sauce simmer gently for 5 minutes until it thickens slightly and the flavors marry.

While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.

Add the drained spaghetti to the tomato-mussel sauce. Toss everything together over medium heat, adding splashes of pasta water as needed to create a glossy sauce that clings to every strand.

Fold in the shelled mussels and half the mussels in shells. Cook 1 minute more just to warm through.

Remove from heat. Squeeze over the lemon juice and scatter with fresh parsley and torn basil. Toss once more, then serve immediately in warm shallow bowls with the remaining mussels on top for that dramatic presentation Gianna loves.